Elizabeth A. Nelson

Elizabeth “Betty” Ann (Hillesland) Nelson passed away November 10, 2025, in Woodbury, Minn., at the age of 97. A celebration of life will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, July 24, 2026, at Trinity Lutheran Church 213 N Pennsylvania Ave in Mason City, Iowa. Visitation will be held one hour prior to the service time. She will be laid to rest next to her husband at Elmwood-St. Joseph Cemetery. Betty’s family will then drive to Decorah for Nordic Fest, continuing her family’s 50-year tradition. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorials be sent to Luther College Endowment Fund, Vesterheim Norwegian American Museum, or Decorah Community Food Pantry.

She was born on February 21, 1928, into the Calmar, Iowa community, the daughter of Andrew and Ella (Flaskerud) Hillesland. She was baptized on March 11, 1928, at Calmar Lutheran Church. “Sis”, as her family and friends called her, grew up next door to her Flaskerud grandparents. She attended Calmar schools, participating on the girls’ basketball team and playing French horn in the band. She was valedictorian of the Calmar High School class of 1946.

After graduating “Sis” attended Luther College in Decorah, Iowa. While attending Luther, she started introducing herself as Betty because she didn’t want her college classmates to call her “Sis”, too. Betty graduated from Luther in 1948 with a two-year teaching degree. She taught fourth grade in Monona, Iowa and in 1949 taught fifth and sixth grade in the Ossian Public School. Betty married Clarence Nelson at Calmar Lutheran Church on December 25, 1949. They lived in Ossian, Iowa, and Calmar, Iowa, and had three girls, Nancy, Mary, and Donna, before moving to Mason City, Iowa, in 1958, where their son, James, was born. She was a devoted, loving mother and enjoyed raising her four children. She and her family were active members of Trinity Lutheran Church. Clarence passed away unexpectedly in May 1984. Betty continued living in Mason City, where she did billing for two anesthesiologists and stayed close to her good family friends, Ronnie and Ragna Flatness, and others. After retiring, she decided to move back to her Decorah area childhood roots and be close to her oldest daughter, Nancy, and family. She enjoyed over 30 more years of an active life. Betty volunteered many places, including Vesterheim Norwegian American Museum, Decorah Public Library, and the Winneshiek County Memorial Hospital Gift Shop. She also liked to keep busy with jigsaw puzzles and playing cards, particularly “Gripe” and 500.

She was a wonderful seamstress who shared her sewing skills with her girls. Betty also made Christmas stockings for all her kids, grandkids, everyone’s spouses, and had started making them for her great-grandchildren, too. Betty enjoyed following college and professional basketball and football, particularly the Iowa Hawkeyes, but would watch any games broadcast. Her oldest granddaughter turned to her for help filling out Final Four brackets. Betty also enjoyed having the best collection of shoes around, traveling to Mesa, Ariz., for family visits, having her family all together during holidays (including Nordic Fest), and keeping close ties with her Flaskerud and Hillesland relatives.

Betty was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Clarence; daughters, Nancy Johnson and Donna Hogseth; and brother and sister-in-law, Laverne and Jean Hillesland. 

Those left to mourn her loss and remember her with love include daughter, Mary (Michael) Wall, Mesa, Ariz.; son, Jim (Mindy) Nelson, Cottage Grove, Minn.; sons-in-law, Bob Hogseth, Chippewa Falls, Wisc. and Dale Johnson, Decorah, Iowa; grandchildren, Keri, Heather, Cory, Paul, Scott, Anne, Greg, Sarah, and Mike; and many great-grandchildren, nieces, and nephews. On November 11, a day after Betty left us, the northern lights shone brilliantly far south into Iowa and beyond. We’d like to believe that beautiful display represented her long-awaited and joyous reunion with Clarence, Nancy, Donna, Vern, Jean, and other beloved family members and friends. We’re sure an impromptu Flaskerud Family Reunion is still going strong in Heaven with hugs, laughter, and lots of krumkake and triple treat pie to go around.